We answer your most common questions about how to get pregnant and what to do if you’re having problems …
How long should my partner and I try for a baby before seeking help for infertility?
There’s no wrong or right amount of time to wait before going to see your GP, but a lot will depend on your age and personal circumstances. ‘If you’re a young couple under 35 and have no reason to suspect problems, (for example, previous surgery or irregular periods), it’s reasonable to try for a year before seeking help,’ says Julian Jenkins. However, women over 35 would be well advised to seek help earlier, as the chances of conceiving drop rapidly after 35.
What can be done to improve a low sperm count or poor quality sperm?
Sperm is classified in terms of count, (how many millions of sperm there are per sample), and quality, including mobility. To promote better sperm production, encourage your partner to wear loose boxer shorts and trousers and take cool showers rather than hot baths. Excessive alcohol intake and smoking are also bad news for healthy sperm production so encourage your partner to cut down or quit altogether if possible. There are various theories about the particular vitamin and mineral supplements that can improve sperm quality, but no real research to back them up. If you want more information on this, contact Foresight.
We’ve been trying without success for a year. What can our GP do to help?
Your GP can carry out a few basic tests on the NHS to rule out obvious fertility problems before you get into the more complex investigations that are carried out in hospital or at a private fertility centre. Routine fertility tests include a sperm analysis for the man and blood tests for the woman to make sure her hormone levels are right and if she is ovulating normally. Your GP can organise both of these for you and there’s no set time to wait before you’ll be allowed these basic tests – it’s just a case of discussing your circumstances with your GP.
More complex tests, such as ultrasounds and internal investigations are often done privately (to avoid lengthy NHS waiting times) and can be carried out by your local hospital or private fertility clinic.
How do we know which fertility treatments are best for us?
Once the basic tests have been run and interpreted by your GP, you’ll be in a better position to discuss with him or her where to go next. It might be a case of trying for a further few months and timing sex more carefully around ovulation, or you may feel the time is right to be referred on to a specialist fertility centre. To help you decide, the Centre for Reproductive Medicine in Bristol has devised a fertility calculator, (based on the latest research), that can work out your current chances of conceiving.
If you do go on for further investigations, you won’t necessarily end up using in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) as there are various low level treatments which can be tried first, such as taking hormones to stimulate ovulation. But be warned that NHS treatment is currently based on what’s available locally – not necessarily what is right for your particular circumstances!
How do we find a fertility expert and what should we be looking for in a private clinic?
For unbiased advice and to find a fertility clinic local to you, log onto the Human Embroyology and Fertilisation Authority’s website which has a list of the UK’s registered clinics and latest success rates. Your GP will have an opinion as to which clinics or consultants he or she would recommend and what, if anything, is available locally on the NHS.
Once you’ve located potential clinics, ring up and request a new patient pack which will detail their fees, success rates and available treatments. You’ll be able to have an informal look round to get a feel for the place, you may also want to ask a few basics questions about what is the initial waiting time for an appointment. ‘Your GP can write you a referral letter, detailing your medical history and the results of any initial investigations that could help the fertility team,’ says Julian Jenkins. You will then be given an initial appointment with one of the clinic’s doctors and it’s at this point if going private that you’ll start to be charged.
Going for private fertility treatment is costly! Prices vary from unit to unit, but you can expect to pay upwards of £100 for an initial consultation and around £2,000-£4,000 for one cycle of IVF or ICSI with drug costs of £400-£1,300 on top. And don’t forget the cost of other procedures, such as ultrasounds or blood tests, which might be needed.
By Melanie Deeprose
